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Home again, Hillary bashes Bush
Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, fresh from her own trip to Iraq, accused President Bush yesterday of conducting the war by a "political calendar," saying he had dispatched the wrong "mix of troops" to secure the country and that victory "is not certain."Â In an interview on NBCâs "Today" show early yesterday, the New York Democrat said her war-zone visit last weekend "with not only the military, but the civilian American representatives" revealed that "clearly what weâre doing now is not an effective strategy."
Ah declare, I am so suh-prised, ah feel faint!
Success in rebuilding Iraq, she said, can only come with the involvement of the United Nations, which has hosed most everything it's ever done but might not hose this been reluctant to aid U.S. efforts in the country and has reduced personnel in response to a string of terrorist attacks.
Hillaryâs plan depends upon the cowardly lion finding his courage. Brilliant.
"We need to get the U.N. back in as quickly as possible to internationalize this," Mrs. Clinton told "Today." "We need the legitimacy of the United Nations in order to get Dubya out of office in 2008 but not before move forward." Mrs. Clinton also told the Associated Press while touring Iraq on Friday that the United States could not be certain of victory in Iraq. "We have to exert all of our efforts militarily, but the outcome is not assured," Mrs. Clinton said.
And remember, death is not an option: who is more defeatist, Hillary or Hans Blix? Discuss.
The senatorâs message was a striking contrast to that of Mr. Bush, who told cheering troops during a surprise trip to Baghdad a day before Mrs. Clinton arrived that there is no doubt that "we will prevail."Â
| For one thing, we don't have a choice. It won't be easy because the enemy doesn't have a choice, either. |
"We will win because our cause is just," Mr. Bush said on Thanksgiving Day. "We will win because we will stay on the offensive. We will win because youâre part of the finest military ever assembled. And we will prevail because the Iraqis want their freedom."
Iâm feeling good again. Must be the pretzels.
Speaking with the handful of reporters who accompanied him to Iraq on Thursday on the secret Air Force One flight, Mr. Bush said walking into the mess hall to greet members of the 82nd Airborne Division was "an emotional moment." "The energy level was beyond belief," he said en route home. "I mean, Iâve been in front of some excited crowds before, but this was â the place truly erupted and I could see the look of amazement and then look of appreciation on the kidsâ faces. Working the crowd, a soldier said to me: âIâm so glad you came. Thanks for coming. Itâs important for us to know that the people of America support us.â The fact that the president would come confirms that in this soldierâs mind. And I think it confirmed it in a lot of soldiersâ minds."
Asked on "Today" whether the presidentâs Thanksgiving Day trip to Baghdad was a morale booster or merely a politically staged photo op, Mrs. Clinton said, "I think it was both."
And no one knows staged photos ops better than Bill Hillary!
"I applaud the president. It sends a message of support," she said. "But on the other hand it isnât a substitute for a plan to increase security or to eventually create more independence for Iraqis."
| "And everybody knows you can't possibly have both." |
Mrs. Clinton also accused the Bush administration of putting politics over sound policy in Iraq. "I think an exit strategy, unfortunately, is being driven by our political calendar, not necessarily whatâs in the best interest of a long-term, stable Iraq," she said.
Ibid.
Mrs. Clinton also told AP that military personnel with whom she had spoken wanted to know "how the people at home feel about what we are doing." Mrs. Clinton said she told the troops, "Youâre DOOOOOMED!" "Americans are wholeheartedly proud of what you are doing, but there are many questions at home about the administrationâs policies."
| "Us Dems are the ones who're asking them." |
Republican consultant Scott Reed called the comments "un-American."Â
| French, to be specific... |
"Any member of the U.S. Senate should be supporting our troops 100 percent," Mr. Reed said. "It sounds like Senator Clinton has been stung by the fact that President Bush overshadowed her trip to Iraq and left her as an after-story. So to break into the debate, sheâs had to take the low road." Leon Panetta, former Clinton administration chief of staff, said he wouldnât "second-guess" Mrs. Clintonâs trip to Iraq, and was glad that she had prefaced criticism of Mr. Bushâs conduct of the war with pro-forma support for the troops. "Obviously, policy differences will be presented, but I think those battles need to be fought here in this country," Mr. Panetta said. "I think when it comes to visiting our troops, itâs important to let them know that the country is supporting their mission. The Democrats Both parties need to be clearer about that message."
Gee, I thought Dubya was pretty clear.
As to whether troops would get the wrong message by hearing criticism of their commander in chief from a sitting senator, Mr. Panetta said that "our troops are pretty smart, smart enough to know that Sen. Clinton is a two-faced witch."
| "Really. They're smarter'n whips. You can say anything to them, tell them they're dirtbags, and they'll know what's really true. In Gulf War I, Sammy told 'em that while they were getting ready to fight in Kuwait, Tom Selleck and Bart Simpson were back home, doinking their wives. They knew it was a lie. Picked right up on it, in fact." |
Despite Mrs. Clintonâs criticism of the presidentâs Iraq policy, Mr. Panetta said she and Mr. Bush are pursuing the same goal. "Both the president as well as Mrs. Clinton are pretty much saying the same thing right now," Mr. Panetta said. "Weâve got to provide a transition of authority to the Iraqis as quickly as possible."
Other than Bush saying weâll stay as long as it takes, and honoring our people, and Hillary saying we need the UN and to turn tail and run, yep, messageâs the same. Leon, Leon, how did you ever get so desparate?
Posted by: Steve White 2003-12-03 |
